Blood of the Covenant
by bloodyshadow1
Summary: The Adventure zone story. Post canon, the Hunger is defeated. Now Lucretia makes another decision that could affect the lives of everyone she loves, but she knows it's the only way to even begin to make up for what she's done


After the Hunger is defeated, Lucretia has only one last task to complete. One last act to make up for the things she's done, both to the world and to her family.

It's rushed and unedited since I wanted to get it out before the last episode airs since I can't upload it at work. Will be cross posted on archive later, but I don't have time to format everything. Warning for suicide, dark thoughts, and language. Adventure zone spoilers obviously. Bout a 4500 word read if your interested

It was over, it was finally over. Over a hundred years had passed since that day they left their own world. It had been far from an easy journey, the seven of them had all died more times than they could remember, suffered more hardships than any other beings in a hundred universes could have faced, but it was over.

Lucretia just stared out at the remains of the ruins of the Bureau of Balance headquarters in disbelief, her home. The massive ship that had once looked like a second moon had crashed to the earth during the battle. It had been an intentional maneuver to help destroy the Hunger and had paid dividends in the end, but still, for the former leader of the Bureau of Balance it was hard to see home for more than a decade destroyed. It had never felt the same as the Starblaster, but it had been safe and it had allowed her to do what she thought needed to be done. It turns out that it wasn't her spell though, the one that would cut off the world from Hunger as well as anything else, was needed, but instead faith in her friends, her family.

The Hunger, John Merle insisted, was gone, not quite dead since it was an abomination of anti-life, but gone, gone for good. They had defeated it, the seven of them along with their friends and allies, they had done what no one would have thought they could do and won the game of cat and mouse. But they did, they beat the Hunger, it was an epic battle combining strength of arms, arcane brilliance, and willful words and that will all that will be spoken of that. After all what matters is that the Hunger was gone, all the different worlds it absorbed have been restored and Lup finally defeated her archenemy Greg Grimaldis and liberated her $15, so why go on about a battle that was over.

Still, in trying to stop John, Lucretia knew she had done unforgivable things to her family, stripping away their memories, tearing apart their bonds, placing them in dangers for reasons they didn't know because she made them forget…, in the end it amounted to nothing. She knew that what she had done to Taako and Lup, what she had done to Davenport…what she had done to the three of them was the worst of it. Perhaps if her spell did work to defeat the Hunger than she could at least justify her actions, but no, it turned out that much like the Grand Relics her Bulwark Spell was unneeded. All that was required was faith in your bonds, three surprisingly competent goofballs, and a whole lot of luck to defeat the devourer of worlds.

But now wasn't a time to look back now was a time to move forward, and for Lucretia that meant making things right. While everyone else celebrated and embraced over their joy of being alive the former director sifted through the remains of her office searching for something important.

Normally, she wouldn't risk scavenging a ruin like the Bureau of Balance Headquarters, it looked like the whole thing was going to collapse any minute, not with her few remaining hit points at least. Luckily for Lucretia though low hit points weren't something that concerned her at the moment. Also lucky for her, her office was whole for the most part though a mess. If she had the time to think she would have made a note that it would definitely need a thorough cleaning if it was to ever be used again. But Lucretia knew that it would never be used again, at least not by her. After a few minutes of scrounging she found what she was looking for, a small white oak box with silver trimmings and a platinum lock. She knew it would survive even the apocalypse with the amount of money she spent on it, it was something even Garfield couldn't get his hands on for her, she had to go elsewhere. Other than the strength of the wood and metal protecting what was inside Lucretia cast numerous powerful nonlethal spells upon it that would spring and trap whoever tried to open the box without permission. As of now there were only four beings in the world, in all worlds that could open this box, save for Lucretia: Merle, Magnus, Taako, and of course Davenport. If she had ever found them she would have added Barry and Lup to the list as well, but the point was moot seeing as the box was a contingency for if Lucretia had died before she had a chance to make things right. But now since she survived the apocalypse the contingency part was no longer needed and she could finish things herself.

She opens the lock easily, it popped open as soon as her fingers touched it and opened the chest to reveal its bounty. Inside were a neat stack of letters bound in twine two small black diamonds, and a dagger with seven birds on the hilt. The second diamond had been the most recent addition to the chest, once the need for other seekers had proven pointless she had suddenly forced to deal with a surge of new regulators. After all, just because the former seekers were unable to do their duties didn't mean that they had to be unemployed, or that Lucretia could allow them to run around freely with all the Bureau's secrets. If she had they might have used their skills, they acquired under her employment and sought the relics out without her being able to keep an eye on them. That left Killian, Carey, and NO-3113time to take care of a special project for her, which lead to the creation of the second diamond.

The letters were the oldest of the items in the chest, at least at first they were. Originally there were six letters, one for each member of her family, she hoped against all hope that once everything was over the other six members of the IPRE would all be alive and reunited with each other. Each letter held a brief explanation for why she did what she did for the good of the world and an apology. The explanation was the same in all of them, she didn't want to highroad herself, she was wrong and even if it was for the greater good what she did to her family was still evil and could never be forgiven. The apologies were each unique though just that she was sorry for what she did and that she had to make sure that they knew, even if they didn't forgive her. She put those letters in the chest over ten years ago, thinking it would all be over in a matter of months, but it didn't. Try as she might the years stretched on and on and as the years grew so did the letters left in the box.

Originally when she realized she couldn't gather the relics alone she tried to remain detached to her employees, establishing early on the lines between employer and employee. But even as she wore the mask of Madame Director she couldn't stop being Lucretia underneath it all, the scribe who spent a century on a ship that was powered by bonds, with six people she loved more than anyone else in the world. Such a thing changes a person, makes them crave the closeness and joy they get from even a small smile on the face of someone they care about. It forever left her unable to become distant and cold towards people on the inside at least. There were letters for Carey and Killian who had become practically her left and right hands as time passed, for sweet Avi and poor Johann, for Patrilda who could fry anything and did so with a smile on her face, a letter for Robbie more of an apology for locking him up for something he didn't have control over, for Leon who despite whatever the boys put him through remained loyal to the B.O.B.'s ideals which was more than could be said for Garfield, the traitor. There were even letters for the dead and the damned, to Magic Brian (Lucretia had seen the writing on the wall with that one and wondered if it was the drow's similarities to Taako and Lup that made her believe he could be trusted), poor Leman who deserved more than to be another notch on a serial killer's belt, to Captain Captain Bane a good man who she put in harm's way like so many others. She knew she should have taken the letters addressed to the dead but just the first attempt had torn her heart out so much that Lucretia had surfaced and reflected on all the bad the Director had caused.

"Huh, funny enough I thought I'd find you here," a familiar voice that was equal parts arrogant, ridiculous, and endearing broke through the silence of her office. "The world's saved, all worlds really thanks to us, mostly me, Magnus, and Merle, but I mean all of us did something," Taako said checking his fingernails trying to appear super casual, despite the fact that Lucretia's back was turned. "We're hurt and exhausted, I'm almost out of spell slots even the ones I got back after we drank Baby Fisher's stink water, but for the first time in over ten years the seven of us are together and we're all still alive. Well not Barold or my twin sister who I just remembered a few hours ago, thanks for that," he added venomously. "They're you know…, sort of dead sort of alive," he added losing himself in his tangent, "is gonna make things really awkward when the BF comes around. But like I was saying the seven of us still alive after defeating the thing that's been chasing us for over a hundred years, destroyed our home dimension, and killed us all several times, we should all be celebrating or at least relaxing, so imagine our surprise when our local introvert on board wasn't around," he said sarcastically. They all knew she wasn't one for large gatherings, and after all she had done they knew she wasn't exactly excited to face them or anyone again.

"So we all split up to find her, you know for different reasons some of us," he emphasized by tapping the The KrEpStAr against his shoulder ominously. Lucretia's Staff, the Bulwark Staff had been left dead and barren after she used her spell to seal the Hunger away for good, she still had a cheap wand, more fit for the hand of Angus McDonald than her own, but she knew she wouldn't need it. Her dagger would suffice for what happened next.

"Barold went with Magnus seeing as they're more neutral and forgiving side of things. Lups around her somewhere, but I left her behind, she's not really used to being in a fleshbag again. Rude, I know but I wanted a few moments alone with you before she could interrupt. After all she'd be all like, 'Taako don't be an idiot, you can't kill or maim Lucy, she did what she thought was right and didn't mean to hurt anyone,' and I don't feel like being mature about this right now. Merle and Davenport made up the short guy coalition and are searching along the ground. Captianport is still really steamed after what you did, I can't blame him, I mean I still think what you did to me and Barold was worse," Lucretia had known Taako long enough to know when he was lying, but respected that he wouldn't be able to ever believe someone's pain was worse than his own. "But still he must have been in hell. I mean really Lucy, lobotomizing our dear captain and then making him your butler, that's really messed up."

"I didn't mean for that to happen," Lucretia said softly, her voice full of guilt and regret, "I never meant for any of this to happen. I thought it would have been a matter of weeks, a year at the most to keep you in those amnesiac states-," but she just stopped before she could finish. "No, no more excuses and trying to highroad people," she said turning to Taako and placing her box on her desk, "what I did was wrong, I thought what I was doing what was right for the greater good, but I was wrong all the same. I hurt the people that I loved and I'm sorry," she said meeting Taako's gaze. Surprisingly the other wizard didn't look angry, more annoyed or upset, but it wasn't anger that flowed out of Taako's eyes.

"Why Lucretia," Taako asked, but as soon as Lucretia opened her mouth he waved her away, "no, I mean I know why you did it, but still dammit why did you do that too us," tears started to run down his face as he pointed the KrEpStAr at her. Surprisingly the Umbra Staff was far more intimidating, probably because Lucretia was fine with dying, even knowing she deserved to be killed, but that was before she could work her magic to protect this world. Now, it was just something that needed to happen one way or another. "We were you family, I know we weren't blood or anything gross like that, but after a hundred years of thinking of everyone else as dust I started thinking of you as my sister. So why, how could you do that to us," Taako was a proud male elf, he didn't beg for anything, and he certainly didn't do it now. And if you asked him about this moment later on he would deny it, even if it did sound a lot like begging.

"Taako, you know no answer I could give would be good enough," Lucretia said simply. "What I did was wrong, even if I had the best intentions it doesn't change that I was wrong, and everything I did ended up being for nothing. I won't blame you if you want to kill me, and I won't try to stop you either, she said opening herself up for whatever spells Taako wanted to cast on her.

"Gods dammit Lucretia why do you have to always be such a dramaqueen," Taako shouted in frustration. "I mean I only wanted to fucking talk to you and you have to pull this sacrificial superficial redemption crap.

"You're the one pointing your very powerful magical object at me Taako," Lucretia shot back just like she would have during their voyage on the Starblaster.

"I'm Taako, I'm supposed to be dramatic and junk, it's my thing. You're the boring bookworm side-character that everyone seems to love despite not talking much. Stop trying to steal my gimmick," he said wiping his eyes ineffectually the tears just kept falling. "I don't know if I'm going to kill you alright, so just stay there until I figure things out," he gestured with his glaive for emphasis.

"What the hell," another familiar voice said breathing heavily, "is going," she started to say but she was breathing to heavily to complete the sentence she wanted to get out. "Holy shit I forgot how lungs work and am really regretting running here after this one took off," Lup finally managed to get out after panting for a good minute and gesturing to Taako as he and the former Director stared at his sister. "No, but seriously," Lup said finally managing to stand up straight, "what the fuck is going on here you two. Why are you pointing a your Krav Maga at Lucy over there," she said pointing at her brother, "and why are you just standing there with your hands in your box ready to take it," she said angrily gesturing to Lucretia. She paused for a moment before realizing what she said, "okay for the record, that wasn't supposed to sound dirty, I know I'm the master of the innuendo but it's not the time for that, just like it's not the time for more violence and death."

"Way to make things awkward there sis," Taako said lowering his glaive a bit, his wizard arms weren't exactly made for holding things up for long periods of time anyway. "Besides, we were just talking."

"Sure you were just talking after abandoning me in the Bob Ruins and pointing your gaudy spear at Lucy," Lup shot back. The two loved each other of course, being not only siblings but twins, but still being so similar they were bound to fight. Taking advantage of their little spat Lucretia saw her chance and picked up her dagger and did what had to be done. It had hurt, not nearly as much as the Hunger's final form had, but slitting one's wrist did tend to hurt regardless. Still, even low on hitpoints she could take a lot of bleeding damage even if she refrained from purposely stabilizing, no it was the dagger's affect that would end things.

Her slight wince broke up the conversation between the T-Twins, quiet as it was, "what was that? Lucretia did you say something," Lup asked curious.

"Nope, nothing," Lucretia said rolling a 1 on her bluff check, "just going through some things in my private chest-," and before she had the chance to regret those words. She could have said anything else and they might have bought it, but bring up something private or a secret and Taako and Lup were all over it.

For a good few minutes she was bombarded by, 'what's in the chest, what's so private, does it have anything to do with me, what's in the damn box already woman,' before she held up her hand to silence them. "They are my personal affects, I started to add to the chest after founding the Bureau of Balance, they were for after the Hunger was dealt with." Luckily, she rolled a nat 20 on her sleight of hand check so she was able to palm the dagger into her robes. Letters, mostly to those who mean a lot to me letting them know my feelings, though some have instructions on how to proceed once everything was over. I wasn't planning on giving everyone their memories back until after the relics were destroyed and my shield was up so they are a bit out of date especially since there are those who are you know dead with letters addressed to them. As for your question Taako, yes, there is something in here for you," she said turning the small chest so the twins could see into it.

"Those are some pretty nice diamonds," Taako admitted, "but unfortunately I'm dating someone. Oh and I'm mad at you, plus it would be like marrying my sister, and have you seen my sister, gross."

"Oh come on Lucy, two diamonds for this chucklefuck but none for your real favorite Taaco sibling, how could you," Lup said dramatically.

"You wish Goofis."

"To be frank," Lucretia interrupted and continued before they could make their normal 'I thought you were Lucretia,' joke. "One of them was for Magnus, his was easier to track down than yours, but I had Team Sweet Flips track him down for you after you came back from Refugee."

"What," was all Taako could say, "who," I stand corrected.

"The other person who took everything from you," Lucretia said picking up one of the diamonds and gave it to Taako. "One drop of your blood will release the prisoner trapped inside the crystal. I knew I couldn't make up for what I've done, but this is all I can do to make up for what happened," she said weakly, the blade's curse and the bloodloss was starting to take effect.

"Sazed," Taako said softly and more seriously than he had ever said anything in his life.

"And a man named Kalen," she said gesturing to the other diamond. "I tracked him down myself when I came upon the ruins of Raven's Roost when I checked on Magnus. I didn't realize that Sazed was the one to kill all those people when I checked in on you at Glamour Springs. I just assumed there was an accident in the cooking, I must have checked every corpse I could find begging for you to not be one of the victims," she mused. Unfortunately that was when Lup took notice; the blood on the diamond didn't help.

"Lucretia, what have you done," the elf lich said grabbing Lucretia's arm and tearing her sleeve down to reveal the cut.

"You know," Lucretia said lightheaded from the bloodloss, "I've been asked that so many times today that it's sort of lost meaning from all the shitty things I've done. You're going to have to be specific."

"What the fuck is wrong with you," Taako shouted.

"Again you need to be more specific, oh, my wound. I promised you I would answer for what I've done once the world was safe, I'm a woman of my word if nothing else. I wasn't sure if you wanted revenge or not so I used the artificing we all learned to give the dagger special properties so that I would fall eventually. I would never make you bloody your hands if you didn't want to, but I didn't want to take away the option of giving you your revenge if that is what you wanted."

"I-I didn't want this," Taako said panicking.

"Dammit Lucretia my idiot brother's right, you are a drama queen," Lup said tearing off a piece of Lucretia's robe to make a bandage for Lucretia's arm to stanch the bleeding.

"It's not poison if that's what your worried about, I know how traumatized you've been of poison so I wouldn't do that to you. I learned how to place curses on objects from a witch in exchange for a kiss during the decade we've been here. It's a powerful one that will kill me within a few minutes if left unchecked, but it's no less than I deserve."

"What the hell Lucretia," Taako yelled again feeling helpless, "I'm angry and junk, but I don't want you to kill yourself. I wanted to berate you for a couple years until I finally stopped being pissed, you can't die now."

"I deserve this Taako, too many people hurt because of me, too many people lost their minds because of what I tried to do, the Hunger almost destroyed another world because of me," she said stubbornly.

"We've all done horrible things, remember the robot world that we almost destroyed on my suggestion. I mean yeah we knew the Hunger was going to destroy the world anyway, but it didn't give us the right to do the Hunger's job for it. I've lied, I've stolen, I've been horrible to my beautiful magic boy, just a bad person sometimes, but we've also done a lot of good. It doesn't make it right, but living means you can make up for the bad, so stop this dumb making things right by killing yourself shit, it's not funny, it's not cool, it's just another death on our feet."

"That's epic Taako, but I'm a monster, not sure if I lived I wouldn't sacrifice more lives for my beliefs," Lucretia said before doubling over in pain as the curse started to take effect.

"No seriously stop talking like that Lucretia, this is bullshit," Lup said panicking realizing that the bandage she was using to try and keep Lucretia alive wasn't working. "Screw it," she said picking up her wand and blasting a wall out with a tongue of flame. "There's a reason why wizards don't do healing, we need our cleric."

"If you keep blasting like crazy the HQ is going to fall apart even worse, the two of you could get hurt. Stop this foolishness before you get yourself killed," Lucretia protested.

"The fact that you don't seen the irony in what you're saying vs what you're doing astounds me," Taako said as he put on his imaginary thinking cap over his wizard hat. "I'm getting you to Merle, he's going to heal you and take that curse off of you, then you're going to get some r&r for a few days while you recover and once you do I'm going to slap the shit out of you for being so stupid. There's only one room for an idiot wizard on this show and it's already filled. If you already knew about Sazed than you know I don't share."

"T-Taako," Lucretia started to say, but Taako didn't let her finish.

"You know what, Taako might have taken this shit, but I'm not Taako anymore," Taako said and before Lucretia could say anything he doubled in size and she was surrounded by darkness.

Lucretia's head was pounding, which was strange since she should be dead, she didn't get what was happening, but all the hells in existence couldn't hurt this much which logically meant she was alive. Her throat was raw and her eyes watered as they opened she saw the other members of the IPRE around her bed. "H-how," she started to say, but once again Taako didn't let her talk.

"I cast polymorph on myself and became Dupree, a T-Rex, and carried you out of the HQ in my mouth. Brought you to that asshole," he pointing to Merle, "who healed your wounds and removed your dumbass curse you inflicted on yourself because he has a great relationship with his god now, glad he didn't have it on our adventures, but whatever. As angry as I am with you Lucretia, I don't want you to kill yourself you dumbass, so don't do it again."

"B-But," Lucretia started to say, but once again no one let her.

"Nope, we're not getting into anything right now," Davenport said incredibly gentle for someone who was so angry at her. "We'll resolve things later when you're strong enough to be yelled at Lucretia. Until then just get better, we can't afford to lose anything else, not after we've finally won."

It wasn't forgiveness, not that Lucretia was expected to ever be forgiven, but it showed they cared. That was going to have to be enough for now, "fine, no more crazy stunts, I'll get better so you can yell at me," she promised, and she always kept her word.

Okay, so I know the ending is a bit rushed, but I wanted to get this out before the final episode. I hope you enjoyed it. It might be a bit sappy, but after everything everyone's been through, not only do they deserve a bit of wrath, but they deserve years of happiness.


End file.
